Council receives more requests for Irish signs on Tyrone streets

MID Ulster District Council has received a number of requests for English-Irish street signage in various residential areas across the district.

Requests have been received from the following areas: Millrace Drive, Dungannon; Lake Lodge Grove, Ballyronan; Lifford Drive, Ballyronan; Annagh View, Coalisland; Richmond Hill, Ballygawley; Sluggan Road, Ballygawley; Willow Drive, Dungannon; Church Heights, Cookstown.

Residents in the above areas will now be canvassed, to find out if at least 51 per cent  of householders in each housing development are in favour of such provision.

Meanwhile, bilingual English-Irish street signage is going to be erected at Derryvale Park, Coalisland, as those few residents who did elect to express a view on the matter were unanimous in their support for such provision.

As per the relevant Mid-Ulster District Council policy on this issue, residents in Derryvale Park were given an opportunity to have a say on the provision of bilingual signage.

A total of 16 survey letters were issued, with only six replies returned, all in favour of bilingual street signage (100 per cent).

The policy only requires 51 per cent of residents to be in favour of bilingual street signs.

At Killary Lane, Stewartstown, 73 survey letters were issued following a request for English-Irish street signage.

In all, 42 survey letters were returned, with 41 in favour, and one deemed invalid.

Once again, with 100 per cent support, bilingual signage will be erected accordingly.

At Loughdoo Road, Cookstown, only 14 survey letters were returned out of 67 sent, but they were all in favour of English-Irish street sign provision.

On the Bardahessiagh Road, Pomeroy, 70 residents were surveyed. And while there were a few dissenting voices – four replies against English-Irish signage – they were outnumbered by those 18 returned letters supporting such a move (82 per cent in favour).

In Kilowen, Coalisland, 22 survey letters were sent, and 10 were returned, all in favour of English-Irish street signs.

There was similar support in Maplebrook Green, Coalisland, with 29 survey letters issued, and 10 returned, all in favour.